Nicholas V. Perricone, M.D., Division of Dermatology

Established in 2002, the Nicholas V. Perricone, M.D., Division of Dermatology is building and promoting a dermatology division through the establishment of integrated scientific, clinical, educational, and community outreach programs rooted in academic excellence and humanistic values. This research-focused division is within the Department of Medicine, College of Human Medicine and is supported by the Nicholas V. Perricone, M.D., Endowment. Dr. Perricone is an alumnus of the College of Human Medicine.

Richard Neubig, M.D., Ph.D. Interim Chief, Nicholas V. Perricone, M.D., Division of Dermatology and Professor and Chair of Pharmacology and Toxicology Department. Dr. Neubig's vision for the unit is supporting clinical translation research to skin conditions. Neubig’s lab has identified a gene called RhoC that causes a melanoma tumor to invade and spread to other parts of the body. His team has also identified several compounds – or potential new medications – that can possibly block this process and prevent the spread of aggressive melanomas. (more at MSUToday) Dr. Neubig’s research on scleroderma, which is an autoimmune disease that causes hardening of skin tissue as well as organs, found that the same mechanisms that produce fibrosis, or skin thickening, in scleroderma also contribute to the spread of cancer. (more at MSUToday) Dr. Neubig also received a Gran Fondo* grant to continue his study of a combination of drugs that could prevent melanoma from metastasizing. The anti-cancer drug Trametinib is given to treat a common form of melanoma, but the cancer typically becomes resistant to that treatment. (more at MSUToday)

Jamie Bernard, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, Nicholas V. Perricone, M.D., Division of Dermatology and also Assistant Professor, Pharmacology and Toxicology Department. Dr. Bernard studies the mechanisms that underlie the onset of carcinogenesis, to find new targets for prevention. She is exploring the translational relevance of specific biomarkers of adiposity-associated cancer risk in addition to research interests in screening to identify new compounds that target our pathways for chemoprevention and identifying modifiable risk factors as a biomarkers of adiposity-associated cancer that are amenable to prevention and early intervention measures. In a study backed by a Gran Fondo* grant, Dr. Bernard, is looking how obesity sensitizes skin cells to DNA damaging events. She is also exploring the efficacy of natural compounds for the prevention of basal and squamous cell skin cancer.

*Additional funding for the division is provided by the College of Human Medicine’s Gran Fondo. Italian for “Big Ride,” Gran Fondo is a long-distance, mass participation event geared toward cyclists of all abilities. The MSU Gran Fondo starts and ends in downtown Grand Rapids and offers multiple lengths through West Michigan. Their primary goal is to raise funds to support skin cancer awareness, prevention and research. Read the latest news about skin cancer research at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine:•Dr. Richard Neubig is featured in MSU's Great State Day Trips video for the Gran Fondo